Cervical collar

ABSTRACT

A cervical collar having a pad of high density foam material with a shape to provide high pad support to the side of a user&#39;&#39;s head, with a narrow mid-portion that passes under the user&#39;&#39;s chin to support a user&#39;&#39;s head in an upright position. The pad has a hole in the mid-portion which is adjacent the throat area, that is filled with a soft foam insert that relieves wearing pressure in the user&#39;&#39;s throat area.

United States Patent 91 Hare [ Nov. 26, 1974 CERVICAL COLLAR [76] Inventor: Glenn F. Hare, 326 Arroyo Dr.,

Encinitas, Calif. 92024 22 Filed: Jan. 14, 1974 211 App]. No.: 432,877

[52] US. Cl. 128/75, 128/DIG. 23

[51] Int. Cl A6lh 1/02 [58] Field of Search 128/75, DIG. 23, 87

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,250,840 7/1941 Pomeranz 128/DIG. 23 2,774,601 12/1956 White 128/DIG. 23 3,512,523 5/1970 Barnett 128/75 3,696,810 10/1972 Gaylord, Jr. 128/75 3,756,226 9/1973 Calabrese et a1. 128/75 5/1974 Rogers 128/75 12/1957 Smith et al l28/DIG. 23

Primary Examiner-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant Examiner-J. Yasko Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Brown and Martin [5 7 ABSTRACT A cervical collar having a pad of high density foam material with a shape to provide high pad support to the side of a users head, with a narrow mid-portion that passes under the users chin to support a users head in an upright position. The pad has a hole in the mid-portion which is adjacent the throat area, that is filled with a soft foam insert that relieves wearing pressure in the users throat area.

4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures CERVICAL COLLAR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There are many different kindsof collar devices that are worn to assure that the head of a person having a spinal injury is held in an upright position maintaining the spine in the correct and desired alignment..Such devices usually have a relatively positive and rigid structure with an inner cushioning liner. While such rigid structures maintain the correct alignment of the spine, depending upon the particular injury and the particular persons anatomy, such structures are not readily adaptable for emergency use. Emergency use requires an all purpose cervical collar that may be used on all persons, having diverse sizes and shapes and often times with possible un-diagnosed spinal injuries. Such collars should also be relatively inexpensive, can be easily stored for emergency use, can be used to provide positive support approaching that of an extrication collar, and yet that can be quickly, easily and safely applied with a minimum of hazards to provide that support that is so important when moving accident victims with possible spinal injuries.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In an embodiment of this invention, a pad of high density foam material has a reduced in width midportion with a longitudinal length that is slightly smaller than the circumference of a persons neck, leaving an open space adjacent the back of the head. The reduced in width portion fits under the users chin and supports the head upwardly. The opposite end portions of the pad, each have an increased width that fits up against the side of the head below the ear, providing the additional positioning and support of the users head. The mid-portion of the pad has a hole in which is inserted a soft foam insert. This hole is adjacent the throat when the collar is in use and relieves pressure in the users throat area. When being worn by a man, his adams apple would normally project into this hole and into the soft foam material. A strap is secured to one side of the enclosing knit material and extends along the entire length of one side, the outside, of the pad. The strap has a free end for securing the free ends of the pad together, and drawing the pad into a tight engagement with the neck, providing the cervical collar that approaches an extrication collar. The hole in the pad thus becomes important as it allows the pad to be drawn tighter around the users neck.

A fiber portion is secured to the mid-portion of the pad that coacts with a Velcro material on the end of the strap. The strap passes through a ring allowing the strap to be drawn tightly around the users neck, with the Velcro portion contacting the fiber portion holding the strap and the pad in a secure position with a collar size that is infinitely adjustable between limits.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new and improved cervical collar that has particular advantageous use in providing head, neck and spinal support to accident victims with possible spinal injuries.

Other objects and many advantages of this invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following detailed description and an examination of the drawing, wherein like reference numerals designate like parts throughout and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one configuration of the extrication or cervical collar.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1.-

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the collar in use.

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the collar in fastened positron.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a narrower and simplified, modified form of the collar.

Referring now to the drawing, the cervical collar 10 has a pad of high-density, resilient foam material 40 that is enclosed by a knit type fabric 44. The fabric fits over the foam material and loosely encloses it. A strap 12 has a portion 28 that extends along one side of the pad 40 and is secured to the knit fabric 44 at each end, such as at 46. The strap has a free end portion 34 with a Velcro pad 36 on the end thereof. Midway the length of strap portion 28 is a fiber portion 30 to which the Velcro surface 36 engages fastening the collar to a users neck.

The collar has an upper surface 18 and a lower surface 14. The lower surface has a mid-portion 16 that depends downwardly a slight amount, and has an upper narrow section 22 with raised end portions 20. The mid-portion fits under the users neck with the upper edge 22 engaging the users jaw. This holds the users head in an upright position with the raised side portions 20 fitting against the side of the head of the user.

The mid-portion has a hole 26 therein that is spaced between the upper and lower edges. This opening 26 is filled with a soft foam material 42. The hole 26 is positioned at the throat of the user, and relieves pressure in the throat area when the collar is secured in position on the user. The strap 28 fits over the opening holding the insert 42, which is freely movable in the hole 26, in position.

In operation, the pad 14 is positioned around the users neck as illustrated in FIG. 3, and the free end of the strap is passed through ring 32 and then doubled around the pad with the Velcro portion 36 engaging the fiber portion 30. This secures the collar positively to the users neck with a drawing force that draws the ends together at the back of the neck, and also provides frontal support along with infinite size adjustment.

Another collar embodiment 38 illustrated in FIG. 5, which has substantially the same structure as previously described relative to the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 4. The pad 49 has a soft foam insert 50, but does not have the pronounced raised end portions. This collar is more adaptable for use by users having widely different shapes and sizes.

Having described my invention, I now claim:

1. A cervical collar for being fixed around a persons neck that has possible spinal injuries comprising,

a pad of high density, flexible foam material having an upper edge and a lower edge with a length that is slightly smaller than the circumference of a users neck and a width between said edges at the mid-portion of said pad that allows the pad to fit under the users chin with said upper edge or abutting against the lower jaw of the user supporting the users head in an upright position,

said mid-portion of said pad having a hole that is spaced inwardly from said edges for receiving the outward projection of the users throat allowing said pad to fit against the users neck with a relieving of the pressure in the throat area,

a soft foam insert positioned in said hole,

said pad and insert are enclosed by a knit type material, I

a strap secured to said material on one side of said pad and extending the length of said pad for drawing said pad against the users neck,

and said strap substantially covering one side of said hole.

2. A cervical collar as claimed'in claim 1 wherein,

said strap being secured to said knit material on the side opposite the side of said pad contacting said neck,

a strip of fiber material being secured to said strap at the mid-point of said pad,

and a length of said strap extending from one end of said pad with Velcro material thereon for contacting said fiber material and securing said strap and pad to the user's neck.

3. A cervical collar as claimed in claim 1 wherein,

a portion of the lower edge of said pad at the midpoint thereof extending downwardly,

and portions of each endof the upper edge of said pad being spaced upwardly from the mid-portion of the upper edge of said pad.

4. A cervical collar as claimed in claim 3 wherein,

said lower mid-portion extending only slightly below the outer portions of said lower edge,

and said outer portions of said upper edge extending above the upper edge at the mid-portion of said pad a distance of about /2 the width between said upper and said lower edges 3 said mid-portion of said pad. 

1. A cervical collar for being fixed around a person''s neck that has possible spinal injuries comprising, a pad of high density, flexible foam material having an upper edge and a lower edge with a length that is slightly smaller than the circumference of a user''s neck and a width between said edges at the mid-portion of said pad that allows the pad to fit under the user''s chin with said upper edge or abutting against the lower jaw of the user supporting the user''s head in an upright position, said mid-portion of said pad having a hole that is spaced inwardly from said edges for receiving the outward projection of the user''s throat allowing said pad to fit against the user''s neck with a relieving of the pressure in the throat area, a soft foam insert positioned in said hole, said pad and insert are enclosed by a knit type material, a strap secured to said material on one side of said pad and extending the length of said pad for drawing said pad against the user''s neck, and said strap substantially coverIng one side of said hole.
 2. A cervical collar as claimed in claim 1 wherein, said strap being secured to said knit material on the side opposite the side of said pad contacting said neck, a strip of fiber material being secured to said strap at the mid-point of said pad, and a length of said strap extending from one end of said pad with Velcro material thereon for contacting said fiber material and securing said strap and pad to the user''s neck.
 3. A cervical collar as claimed in claim 1 wherein, a portion of the lower edge of said pad at the mid-point thereof extending downwardly, and portions of each end of the upper edge of said pad being spaced upwardly from the mid-portion of the upper edge of said pad.
 4. A cervical collar as claimed in claim 3 wherein, said lower mid-portion extending only slightly below the outer portions of said lower edge, and said outer portions of said upper edge extending above the upper edge at the mid-portion of said pad a distance of about 1/2 the width between said upper and said lower edges a said mid-portion of said pad. 